Things Will Never be the Same
by mockingjayde
Summary: A one-shot in Gale's point of view after watching Katniss and Peeta kiss for real during the cave scene.


**Disclaimer**: I'm not Suzanne Collins. All rights go to her!

**A/N:** Here is a one-shot in the point of view of Gale. These are his thoughts right after he watches Katniss kiss Peeta for real. I hope you enjoy!

***UPDATED***

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"You don't have much competition anywhere." Katniss says, then she does the unthinkable again.

She kisses him.

My mind swims in circles. It doesn't make any sense at all. At first I thought Katniss was pretending to be in love with Mellark. I mean, I know _he's_ been in love with her forever. You could see it in his eyes. But Katniss? No. The thought was so impossible and downright ridiculous, I pushed it out of my mind every time it seeped through my brain. Katniss didn't love Mellark.

But now it's all flipped upside down. Now I see it. You have to be blind not. I saw the way Mellark's story from the past melted her. I saw the way Katniss and him kissed, it was like.. It was like that kiss really meant something. And she wanted more.

Katniss is actually falling for Mellark. I can't believe it..

Katniss, the only girl I've ever noticed. She's the only person, other than my family, that I've actually really cared about. Not Madge, not Delly, not anybody. She was the one who dragged me out of the despair I was in after my father died. She's my hunting partner. My best friend.

She was the one who made me smile again. I can almost hear her words echoing though my ears, "you know, stealing is punishable by death." Without her, there would be no joy in my life.

She was the sunshine through the rainy cloud that my life was. But now, the clouds are coming back. Because my sunshine is gone.

If it was any other boy besides Peeta Mellark, would Katniss start to feel for them too? Or is it just him? Is it because he's different than most guys from the Seam?

Or maybe Katniss is using him, because she knows he likes her. Well, does she know? I hope she suspects it. I hope she doesn't think that by falling for Mellark, it's some sort of safe-guard for her life. Because really, how far does love go when your fighting for your survival?

I don't even realize how hard I'm gripping the chair until my mom puts her hand on my shoulder. My fingers cramp from my iron grasp.

"Gale… are you okay, dear?" Hazelle says. She knows about my feelings for Katniss, although unspoken. She's my mother. She knows that it kills me inside to see her and Mellark together.

There's nothing she can do about it. There's nothing I can do about it either. We just have to sit here and be forced to watch something that's out of our control. And that, that makes me want to scream.

It seems like everything circles back to the Capitol. I hate them. I hate them all. I hate President Snow, Seneca Crane and the rest of the Gamemakers. I even hate Effie Trinket for calling Prim's name out of the reaping ball, and I'm not to happy with Katniss right now for taking her place.

Maybe it would have been better for me to be Reaped. I could have survived. I could kill people without the blink of an eye. And when I would be crowned victor, I'd come back for President Snow.

It's useless. Either way, I would have lost her.

"Gale?" Hazelle says again looking more anxious then ever.

"I'm fine!" I snap. My mom looks taken back. I can't even bring myself to apologize to her.

My legs carry me out the door and into the woods. I don't care if anyone sees me slide under the fence. I don't even check to see if it's on or not. Being dead would be better than having to live with a broken heart.

But of course it's not on. I sprint on into the woods and I keep going until I find myself near a hollowed-out log that Katniss stored one of her arrows in. I gently pick it up and run my hands alongside it. It's nothing like the Capitol-made one she's using. I hope she remembers how to use this bow when she gets back.

I hope she'll remember _me _when she get's back. I hope Mellark will go back to being the baker's son. I hope they'll cease contact after the Games are over.

Does Katniss even know what she's doing to me? Every time she kisses him… it tears me up inside. Every time Mellark stares at her, every time he pushes the hair out of her eyes, every time he does something that would make the audience melt as well as Katniss, I want to scream. I want to punch him in the face. Or worst. Does Katniss even know? Does she even care?

I would feel no pity if he dies before the Games are over. I wouldn't even feel sorry for Katniss, because she'd be so much better without him.

So far Katniss has killed three people. Does she know that in a way, she's killing me too?

I can't set my hopes high. I can't set them at all. Because if by any chance they both made it back home, they'll both be living in Victor Village together.

Together.

Life as Victors. I'll still just be some fatherless boy from the Seam who has to work exceedingly hard to keep his family above water. I'll still work for my survival. I'll still do what I've always done, but now fully alone.

And things will never be the same.

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**A/N**: Aw, poor Gale. I guess this one-shot was his breaking point. Anyways, please, please, please review! Constructive criticism? Did you like it? Tell me in a review. Thanks for reading! C;


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